The Agni Purana

by N. Gangadharan | 1954 | 360,691 words | ISBN-10: 8120803590 | ISBN-13: 9788120803596

This page describes The mode of worship of Sun (surya-arcana) which is chapter 301 of the English translation of the Agni Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas dealing with all topics concerning ancient Indian culture, tradition and sciences. Containing roughly 15,000 Sanskrit metrical verses, subjects contained in the Agni-Purana include cosmology, philosophy, architecture, iconography, economics, diplomacy, pilgrimage guides, ancient geography, gemology, ayurveda, etc.

Chapter 301 - The mode of worship of Sun (sūrya-arcana)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Fire-god said:

1-3. “Śayyā (bed), Daṇḍi, Ajeśa, Pāvaka, the four-faced” is the basic (mantra) that accomplishes all the desires. It is said for the sake of (gaining) power. The (bīja (basic)) should contain long vowels. The constituents should be evenly set in the bīja (mantras). Each collection of mantras would have five parts such as the khāta, sādhu, viṣa, bindu and sakala. Each one has a separate great merit. The gaṇa (should be worshipped as follows): “Obeisance for the sake of victory. (Obeisance) to the one having one tusk! To the elephant-faced! One having big belly and hands!” These five constituents are common for all (the mantras). One would accomplish his desires by repeating a lakh times.

4-6. “(Obeisance) to the head of the gaṇas (goblins), to the leader of the gaṇas, to the lord of the gaṇas, and to the one who sports with the gaṇas.” The image should be worshipped as before with the five constituents in the directions which are the petals. (Obeisance) to one having curved trunk, single tusk, big belly and elephant face. (Obeisance) to the dreadful one, to the lord of obstacles and to the one of grey complexion. One should worship these (gods), the lords of the worlds, in the (main) directions and the intermediary directions by (showing) the mudrā formed by inserting the two thumbs in between the (two) middle and index fingers of the clenched fists. One should (contemplate the god) as having four hands filled with modakas (ball-shaped sweets) and bearing a club, noose and goad. One should worship (the god) as holding the eatables with his tusk, as red in complexion, as holding a lotus and as surrounded by a noose and goad especially on the fourth day (of a lunar fortnight) and in general everyday.

7. (If the oblation) is done with the root of white ark a (plant) it would confer all desires. (If it is done) with sesamum, ghee, rice, curd, honey and clarified butter one would get prosperity and power to subdue.

8. Lord Mārtaṇḍabhairava (the Sun god) (who) affects the skin, blood, breath and the vital energy, (who is) the cause of virtue, material prosperty [prosperity?], desires and emancipation (and who is) covered by the orb (is contemplated).

9-I3a. (He should be worshipped such that) His five forms (are represented by) the short (syllables) and the limbs by the long (syllables). The Sun-god possessing a red complexion as the sindūra (vermilion) and having His consort on His left (is worshipped) in the north-east. Mars, Saturn, Rāhu, Ketu and others (are worshipped) in the angular points south-east etc. After having bathed as laid down, the Sun-god should be worshipped preceded by (the offer of) respectful water. At the end of the worship, a garland of flowers should be offered to the dreadful effulgent (form) in the north-east. Lighted (lamp), rocanā (the yellow orpiment got from the cow), saffron, water, red perfume and unbroken (rice), sprout (of the paddy), bamboo-seed, barley, śāli. (a kind of paddy), śyāmāka (a kind of grain), sesamum and mustard together with japā flower should be offered. Then they (should be collected) in the vessels and should be held on the head. Then one should prostrate bending his knees on the ground and dedicate the offering to the Sungod.

13b-14a. After having worshipped the planets with nine pitchers sanctified with their respective mystic syllables, one should bathe for appeasing the planets. After the repetition of the syllable sacred to Sun-god, one will get all (the things).

14b-15. The bīja mantras together with agni, doṣa and bindu, that confer victory in battle, should be located from head to foot. The basic (mantra) is worshipped by (showing) the mudrā. After having performed the assignment on the different limbs, one has to imagine himself as the Sun-god.

16-18. (The Sun-god) should be contemplated as yellowcoloured in incantations practised for death as well as for stupefying the senses, as white for the sake of satisfaction, as black for achieving the destruction of the enemy and as the colour of the rain-bow for stupefaction. One who is always bent on doing ablution, repetition (of the mantras), contemplation, worship and oblation would become resplendent, invincible, prosperous and gain victory in the ocean etc. After having located (the mantra of the Sun) in the betel etc. and after repetition (of the mantra), one should offer uśīraka (the fragrant root of a plant). A person who touches with the hand in which the bīja (mantra) has been located would certainly charm (the person).

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